Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield isn’t sure if Ross Barkley’s work rate would meet West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael’s demands.
According to the Telegraph, late on in the summer transfer window, West Brom received an enquiry to see if they would be interested in taking Chelsea player Ross Barkley on loan but the midfielder remained at Stamford Bridge beyond the August 31 deadline.
The 27-year-old spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he featured 27 times in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing one assist. And after watching him for Villa, Hatfield isn’t sure Barkley would meet Ismael’s demands.
Would you have taken Barkley?
Every day of the week!
No
“In terms of the style of play as well, Albion are playing a 3-4-3 where the two central midfielders need to be really busting a gut constantly. Ross Barkley has plenty of quality; I think it’s easy to say that and it’s clear to see when he’s on his game, he’s a fantastic player and he’s certainly not a Championship player.
“But, you know, has he got that work rate? At Villa last season, I saw a lot of him and he started really well and offered some real quality but then equally the fans quickly got on his back when they realised, at times, he wasn’t putting in enough work to match some of that of his peers,” Hatfield told This is Futbol.
West Bromwich Albion were active during the summer transfer window, bringing in six new players to the football club, as Adam Reach, Alex Mowatt, Matt Clarke, Jordan Hugill, Jayson Molumby and Kean Bryan all arrived at the Hawthorns.
Under new management and with new players in the squad, West Bromwich Albion will be hoping that they can have a good season and be challenging for an immediate return to the Premier League.